Columbia school worker indicted in sex abuse case

Special education aide at Bryant Woods Elementary allegedly abused two children from September to March

April 16, 2010|By Don Markus, The Baltimore Sun

A 38-year-old Columbia man who worked with special-education students at a local elementary school is accused of sexually abusing two children from September 2009 to last month, according to a source with knowledge of the case.

Karl Marshall Walker Jr., who worked as a aide at Bryant Woods Elementary School in Columbia, faces two counts of sexual abuse of a minor and two counts of attempted sexual abuse, according to the source.

Walker, of the 5600 block of Stevens Forest Road, was indicted by a Howard County grand jury on Wednesday and arrested Thursday by the sheriff's department, Howard County schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan confirmed.

The indictment was sealed.

Incidents that led to the indictment are alleged to have occurred between Sept. 8, 2009, and March 17. The last incident led to Walker being reported to school officials.

Caplan said Walker was removed from the school March 18 and has not been employed by the school system since March 25.

"When we found out about it, we removed him from the school," Caplan said.

Caplan said that she didn't know how long Walker worked for the school system.

Walker was being held in lieu of $25,000 bond. He cannot leave the state without court approval.